A Daughter of Delilah — page 77: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

68 IN THE MESHES OF THE SIREN. ‘‘T decline to tell you,’’ was the angry reply. ‘‘Your manner is inquisitorial. I object to it.”’ ‘‘T have kept this affair out of the papers, Mr. Alston, for your sake. In return, I expect something at your hands. Have you given the letter to the lady whom you _ know as Isabel?”’ ‘Curse your insolence, sir! I refuse to be cross-ques- tioned by you! Put the story in the papers if you choose, and go to the devil!”’ Alston dashed into the club ina towering rage, while the detective looked after him, a strange smile on his face. ‘‘Tam not to be bluffed,’’ he said, his eyes kindling, ‘‘and I shall keep that young fool in my eye. I have yet to be satisfied that he is not in the swim.”’ He walked thoughtfully away, while Edgar was giving orders that a smart turn-out and a pair of spirited ponies be ready for his use at five-thirty, sharp. ‘‘Cursed annoying to be badgered by that thick-headed, self-important fool of a detective,’’ he growled, as he savagely bit off the end of a fresh cigar. He strolled into the smoking-room, feeling that he had acted foolishly. ‘The brute may suspect my goddess of being implicated in this affair next,’’ he muttered, ‘‘and give her endless annoyance, besides exposing me. I was a fool not to place a sop in his way; and yet, when this sort of thing is once begun, this class of people expect it to go on forever. They become insolent pensioners for life!’’ He dropped on a lounge, at the same time glancing im- patiently at his watch. Eomichbooks cor